John speirs



(No ModeLY Y l J. SPEIRS.

. vAUDIBLB SIGNAL.

PatentedOctq25, 1887.

ITNEESEE. INVENTD1=\.

N, Pains. Pmwmmmpher, washsngw mc,

UNITED STATES PATENT OEEICEo JOHN SPEIRS, OF JERSEY. CITY, NEW JERSEY,ASSIGNOR rIO HIMSELF, AND

` GAMALIEL R. CHRISTIE, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

SIGNAL.

SPECIFICATION forming pari; of Letters Patent No. 372,240, dated October25, 1887.

Application filed May 13, 1887. Serial No. 238,141. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern,.-

Be it known that I, JOHN SPEiRs, a citizen ofthe United States ofAmerica,and a resident of Jersey City, in the county of Hudson and Stateof New Jersey,have invented certain new and useful Improvements inAudible Signals, of which the following is a specification.

The purpose of this invention is to provide in land and waterconveyances-such as steam- Io boats, sailing-vessels,orrailway-trains-audible signals which may be heard by the engineers,Ste., on other of such conveyances; and it consists in providing in suchconveyances two audible signals or whistles of great dissimilarity insound or pilch, which are adapted to be sounded, the one to indicate adirection to the right and the other to sound to indicate a, directionto the left of the conveyance bearing the signal. 1 In the accompanyingsheet ofdrawings, Figure l is a view in diagram representing twosteamboats in a course liable to bring same into collision, but showingby dotted lines the course they will be warned to pursue from hearingthe proper signal sounded by the other in accordance with a signalingsystem to that eitect. Fig. 2 is a view in diagram to illustrate thelocation of several trains of cars on a railway, each train providedwith a signaling apparatus of the character named. Fig; Sis a view inplan of a duplex whistle or signal-that is, one adapted for a soundingof two distinct and dissimilar sounds. Fig. 4 is a vertical sectionalview on line 4 4, Fig. 3.

In the drawings, A and A2 represent steamwhistle-throat devices, eachat'the extremity of steam pipes B B2, and each adapted bythe properoperation of a cock, C, to be yin communication with apipe, D, from thesteam- 4o supply. Each whistle-throat A A2 consists of and is formed byan outer hemispherical shell, c, open at its-top edge, b, and an innerhemispherical shell, d, each or" the latter shells being incommunication at its lower part with its respective steam-pipe B B2,which latter shell d is inclosed at its upper side, as at f, and betweenthe top for outer edge of the outer shell, a, and the top edge oftheinner shell, d, is an annular opening or throat, g. Communication forsteam is formed between the interior ofthe inner shell, d, and theannular `bowl shape.

vchamber or whistle th roat g by ports h. It will be observed that oneof the annular chambers or throats g is made much more contracted ornarrower than the other throat, g2. 5

F represents an impinging shell or bell of This shell F is adapted bysuitable means,'as hereinafter described, or other- Wise, to be placedand heldy in a position directly over and concentric with the annular 6oopening of either one or the other of the whistle-throat devices A orA2, and, as shown in Figs. 3 and 4, is in the position over the mostcontracted throat device A, and on a passage of steam through the pipesD B into 65 the inner shell, d, and thence through the ports h into andthrough annularthroat-chamber g, and iinpinging upon the lower rim, E,ofthe shell F, a sounding or whistle of comparatively high or shrilltone is produced, as is 7o obvious and usual. On a shifting of theiinpinging-shell F to a corresponding concentric position in relation tothe enlarged throat device'A2 to that described in relation to thecontracted throat device A', and on a proper 75 diversion of the steaminto and through the pipe B2 and the chamber and passages'of the throatdevice Athe steam issuing from such enlarged throat device, impingingupon the rim Eof the same shell,F, will produce a deep 8o or resonanttone. v The shell F is provided with perforations at its upper side toallow the escape of steam forced within same from the whistle-throat.

G represents a vertical standard located in 8 5 a lateral line midwayof' the two whistlethroats, and at the upper end, 7c, of this standardG, hung in any suitable form of swiveljoint, is a horizontal radius-arm,H, at the outer end of which is rigidly hung the im- 9o pinging-shell F,and the said pivotal point 7c is so located, as stated, that on a swingof the said radius-arm H sufliciently in either direction it will bringthe impinging-ring concentric with the annular throat-opening of eitherone or the other of the whistle-throat devices A or A2.

K represents a lever-arm hung midway of its length by a pivot, l, upon aboss, m, of the Vertical standard Gr. This lever-arm K at its roo upperend is bifurcated, as at a, and the prongs thereof bear upon theopposite sides of the radius-arm H. The other or lower end, o, ofthelever-arm K engages by a slot, p, with a stud, q, on the end of' alever, L, that is rigidly attached to the stem r of the steam-cock C.The steam-cock C is provided with passages s and t. (See Fig. 4.) Aspiral spring, M, is arranged between the end o of the lever K and arigid Vertical stud, u, extending downwardly from the boss m on thestandard G, which tends to hold the lever-arm K vertical, orsubstantially so, as its normal position, resulting in placing (throughits engagement by its forked end with the radiusarm H) said radius arm,and with it the impinging-shell F, in a position midway between the twowhistle-throat devices A A2, and also. through the connection by itslower end, o, with the lever L, attached to the valvestem ofthe cock, inplacing said cock in such a position that the solid part v thereofcloses the steam-passage w from the pipe D, and thereby shuts ofi theentrance of steam to either throat device.

M2 represents an eye upon the end of the radins-arm H, to which areattached two cords or chains, H'l and L2, passing thence in oppositedirections over guide-pulleys x2, hung in brackets 1/ y2, secured on theouter shells, a, ofthe throat devices A A2, and these pullcords H'l Lare carried through any suitable guides to a convenient position in thepilothouse, cab, &c., and are there properly disposed for easy accessand manipulation by the pilot, engineer, or other attendant.

z represents a downwardly-prqjecting rigid post on the imlgiinging-shellF, in the axial line thereof, and at its extremity it has opposedflanges j and f2, and upon the top capplates of the inner shells, d, arestops or abutments e e`l in a horizontal plane coincident with that ofthe flangesjj'l on the post z.

Assuming that the lever-arm K, under the reaction' of its spring M, isin its normal position,theradius-armwiththeimpingement-shell midwaybetween the two whistle-throats, and the valve ofthe steam-cock with itssolid portion yv closing the passage w from the steampipe, and that, inaccordance with any signal systcm,or for other reason, it is desired tosound a whistle of high pitch, the pull-cord H'l is pulled for asufficient distance, and the end of the radius-arm His moved to the leftuntil the flange j on the post z comes to a bearing against theabutmentcand the impingingshell is over and concentric with the annularwhistlethroat A. The valve stem of the steam-cock has (through itsconnection with the lower end of the lever K) been brought into aposition to place its angularly-arranged openings t s, the formeropposite the passage opening from the steam-supply and the latteropposite the passage to the whistle-throat A, and the steam, followingthe course it is thereby permitted by the various parts of thisapparatus, produces a sounding of the whistle of high tone, formed bythe combination of the contracted annular throat device and theimpingement-plate, and these conditions and relations of parts areillustrated in the drawings, Figs. 3 and 4.

Again, under the same conditions as hereinbeforejustassumed, instead ofpulling the cord H2, the cord Lzis pulled upon, it being clearly'understood that the impingemehtshell is carried for the desired effectover the other or enlarged annular throat AZ, the steam-cock ismanipulated to allow the steam to enter and pass through the saidenlarged annular throat, and a consequent sounding of a whistle-tone oflow pitch is secured, and it is of course well understood that thedifference in tone is regulated and determined by sizes of the annularthroat-openings q g2.

Under the mechanism described it will be seen that the movement ofeither pull-cord effects the placing of the impingcment-plate inposition over the respective whistle-throat, and also opens the steamcommunication to such throat, and that on a release of such pull-cordthe parts areb automatically carried out of position for causingawhistle tone and the steam communication closed.

Vhile a particular means of changing the position of theimpingcmcnt-shell in its relation to the two whistle-throats has beenillustrated and described, other means therefor may be substitutedwithout departing from the present invention, and it is not intended tolimit same to any particular manner of its accomplishment.

The praeticability and utility of the apparatus described-for instance,when applied on stcamboats or other Vessels sailing in a fog-isapparent, for should vessels be in proximity and following a courseliable to bring them into collision a sounding of the whistle of shrillor high tone by either vessel will be understood to mean that the vesselis following a coursev to port, while the sounding of the whistle of lowor deep tone will be understood to indicate that the vessel is followinga course to starboard, or vice versa, according to the fixed code orsignal system among mariners, and thus disaster may be avoided; and onrailroad-trains the same signals are useful, for should it be understoodthat all 11p-bound trains should sound the shrill whistle and alldown-bound trains the deep whistle accidents may be avoided, due to thefact that should a down-bound train, for instance, hear a deep whistleon another train similar in tone to its own deep whistle the engineerwill know that there is another train in proximity on his track andmodify his speed accordingly. i

Vhile in this specification steamhas been particularly mentioned as thewhistle-producing agent, air forced in a similar manner as described forthe steam will produce practical results, and it is understood that airis, so far as this invention is concerned, the equivalent of steam.

Having thus described my invention, what l claim, and desireto secure byLetters Patent, 1s-

1. The combination, with two whistlethroats of different areas,substantially as described,

through them, of a shifting impingingshell provided with a supportingand shifting means whereby said shell ,may be placed in position inrelation to either of' said Whistle-throats, all substantially as andfor the purpose de scribed.

2. The combination,with two whistle-throats of different areas,substantially as described, each placed on a separate branch of a mainsteam-pipa'and a valve at the j unction of said branches, of a shiftingimpinging-shell suitably supported and adapted to be placed in operativeposition in relation to either of said` whistle-throats, and of anintervening mechanism between the support for the said shell and thevalve that is actuated by and in conjunction with said support, and isadapted to operate said valve in a manner to open steam .communicationto either throat at the time that the impinging-shell is moved in properposition over said throat, substantially as described, for the purposespecified.

3. The combinatiomwith two whistle-throats of different areas, eachplaced in separate branches, B B2, of a main steam-pipe, D, and a cock,C, having passages s and t at the junction of said branches, having onits stein a rigidly attached lever, L, of an impingingshell, F, hungupon an arm, H, swiveling in a standard, G, adapted to be swung intooperative position in relation to either of said throats, and ofalever-arm, K, pivoted midway of its length upon said standard, one end'of which engages with the arm H and the other with the valve-lever L,all arranged for operation substantially as described, for the purposespecied. V

4. The combination, with two whistle-throats of different areas, eachplaced on separate branches, B B2, of a main steam-pipe, D, and a cock,C, having passages s and t at the junction of said branches and having astem and rigid lever, L, thereon, of an impinging-shell, F, hung uponaswiveling arm, H, on a standard, G, which has boss m and stud a, alever-arm, K, pivoted midway of its length upon said standard, one endof which engages with the arm H and the other with the Valvelever L, anda spring attached at one end to the end of said arm H and by its otherto the stud u,

and all arrangedv for operation substantially as described, for thepurpose specified.

5. The combination, with two whistle-throats of different areas, eachconsisting of inner casing, d, and outer shell, a, with annular spacebetween them, the inner shell having abutments e e2 on the upper sideand beingin coinmunication with branch steam-pipe, and having ports hleading to the said annular space, of a shifting impinging-shell havingpost z and flangesjjz, hung upon an arm, H, swivelingin a standard, G,and adapted to be swung into position in relation to either of saidthroats, substantially as described.

6. The combination, with two whistle-throat devices, A A2, havingthroats of different areas, substantially such as described, and onwhich are located brackets, pulleys, and abutments e e2, of animpinging-shell hung upon a swinging radius-arm, H, which shell has apost, z, and flanges jjz, .and pull-cords H2 L, secured to saidVradiusarm, and all arranged for operation substantially as described,for the purpose specified. p

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention Ihave signed myname in presence of twowitnesses.

JOHN SPEIRS.

Vtnesses:

WM. S. BELLows, ALEX. F. BLINN.

